MAGISTRATE'S COURT TWO BOOKSELLERS CHARGED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2468, 22 May 1915, Page 15

MAGISTRATE'S COURT TWO BOOKSELLERS CHARGED

In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., Alexander Ferguson and Walter Osborne (trading as Ferguson and Osborne) and Albert Win. ■ Organ, were charged with selling an alleged indecent document to Detective Tricklebank. Mr. H. E. Evans appeared for the first two defendants, and Mr. J. S. Barton for the defendant Organ. Chief-Detective Boddam conducted the prosecution.

Mr. Evans said that Ms clients admitted selling the book in question, and they proposed to ask the police to put it in. It tyas printed in Australia, and was obtained through tho wholesale agents here. The sale had been perfectly open. The book had been purchased by one of their men without their knowledge, but he wished to stress the point that sales had not been made surreptitiously. . Another point was that the book had been passed by the Customs, although there was a regulation forbidding the importation of indecent publications. His clients were a firm of repute. They had purchased a dozen of the books from a wholesale house. Ten had been secured to . fill regular orders, one'sold to ihe detective. and the other returned.

Mr. Barton said that the same arguments could apply to his client, who ■had a reputable business, and could not afford to have any stigma attaching to it.

Chief-Detective Boddam, in the courso of addressing His 'Worship on similar cases, said that publications of tho sort which fell into the hands of men of the world would probably do no harm, but that could not apply if they fell into the hands of young persons. His Worship said that he would reserve his decision. Chief-Detective ( Boddam: "It will take you some time to read them, Sir." ' His Worship: "Yes, you have provided me with a fair apiount of reading matter." . j NEIGHBOURS QUARREL. 'Annie M'Clintock proceeded against Ethel Francis Love, and asked that defendant should be bound over to keep the peace towards her, as she had used threatening language. The disturbance arose over some wandering cattlo. His Worship was of opinion that defendant had been allowing her temper to get away with her, and bound her over in her own. recognisances of £25 to keep the peace for twelve months. Costs £1 4s. were allowed. SHOPS AND OFFICES 'ACT. 'The Inspector of Awards (Mr._ Wm. Rapley) gained several convictions against Rona Bay shopkeepers for breaches of the Shops and Offices Act. For failing to close their shops on the half-holiday at ono o'clock, Wm. Crosley and B. Paino were each fined 205., with costs 75.; and Mrs. Mazora os., with costs 7s. For failing to keep a time and wages book, P. Webster_ was fined os., with costs 7s v and convicted and discharged for failing to keep a holiday book. BY-LAWS. For leaving drays without proper control, John Berg and John Williams were ' fined 6s. and 10s. respectively, with 7s. costs in each case. Isaac Sykes and Co. were fined 10s., with costs 7a., for allowing a horso to wander in Willis Street. SIX MONTHS FOR A ROGUE. A sentence of six months' imprisonment was passed on John Shannon, who pleaded guilty to being a rogue and a vagabond, in that he had insufficient means of support. Accused had previously been convicted as an idle and disorderly person. GHUZNEE STREET ROW. As tho result of a disturbance in Ghuznea Streot, Edward Wilson was charged with drunkenness, and with wilfully damaging a pair of trousers, valued at 255., the property of Edward Kendall, and Wm. Almond was charged with having made use of obscene language. Both men had been arrested by a. constable, and he had called a bystander, Kendall, to assist him. This Kendall did. and Wilson tripped him up. Wilson was convicted and discharged for drunkenness, fined 20s. for doing the damage, and ordered to make good tho value of the trousers. Soven days' imprisonment was fixed as a default. ' The second offender was fined £3, or one month's imprisonment, for using the bad language.